


let's not fall in love

by episode342



Category: Gintama
Genre: Developing Relationship, F/M, Feelings, Light Angst, a little ooc but i tried, the yorozuya is 5 and you can never change my mind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 04:19:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19243696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/episode342/pseuds/episode342
Summary: Gintoki knows how easy it would be for him, for them, to fall into a pattern.He was sure people around them knew that too.





	let's not fall in love

**Author's Note:**

> 1) this is my first gintama fic and 2) i'm only 240 episodes in but i'd die for these two

He doesn’t think too much of it, at first.

It’s not like she’s never mad at him. In fact, she’s very often upset at him. He usually waits for it to pass or for him to feel bad enough to make it up to her one way or another. And _yet_ somehow, it feels different this time around.

He had taken the kids out on a job after Shinpachi had nagged him for the third time that week. It wasn’t anything complicated either: just help with the reconstruction of a roof for a torn down local establishment in town. The owner was an old man, his age making it complicated for him to lift heavy things and he had promised to pay a good amount and even treat them to some dinner once the job was done. It was easy. The Yorozuya had done this and harder tasks in the past.

Except Kagura had been distracted playing with Sadaharu that she didn’t notice him knock a stack of wood down with his tail. 

The wood would have fallen on Shinpachi had it not been for Gintoki pushing the kid out of the way. He avoided being hit himself, for the most part. The corners of the tiles ended up hitting the side of his head. There was blood, which meant he had been busted open but it wasn’t that bad. He’s had worse. Besides, better it hit him than the kids. 

The old man insisted on paying for hospital bills but the silver haired samurai brushed it off and told him they could just resume the job tomorrow instead.

Once they got home, Tama helped patch him up and that was that. 

Kagura hadn't stopped crying and blaming herself for Gin-chan getting hurt but Gintoki assured her it was fine, that it was just scratch and that it wasn’t her fault. 

The day after, the Yorozuya managed to finish building the roof by late afternoon, which turned the old man’s promised dinner into a lunch instead. After eating and getting paid, they fooled around with the Shinsengumi and then headed to the dojo. Shinpachi had invited them over to celebrate the completion of their job and promised to not let his sister do the cooking for the night. 

It went by as it usually did. The kids shared stories and bickered while Gintoki played along and Tae laughed with them. 

Afterwards, Tae insisted Gintoki help her clean up while the kids rested. After a bit of whining, he agreed. He was in the middle of washing his last plate when she spoke.

“Shin-chan told me you got hurt.”

It wasn’t a question but he still felt like she was putting him on the spot. 

“It was nothing. A small piece of wood fell on my head while we were working,” he assured. 

Tae stopped what she was doing and looked him over, her eyes immediately reaching the bandage on his head. “That doesn’t look like nothing, Gin-san.” 

“I’m sure Shinpachi made it seem worse than it actually was.”

He wasn’t sure if he was convincing her or himself. But he knew he didn’t wanna have this conversation right now. Tae always nagged him about getting hurt and he could tell this was where this was heading. 

“He told me you saved him. That it was meant to hit him instead.”

Gintoki sighed and turned off the water faucet. Still, he didn’t look at her when he spoke again. “It wasn’t a big deal, Otae.”

He heard her scoff and braced himself for whatever was coming. Sure enough, she raised her voice. “Like hell it was. Just because you’ve gotten hurt worse than this doesn’t mean it’s any less important.”

This time Gintoki did turn to look at her. She was angry. Part of him wanted to calm her down but the other half wanted to rile her up even more for ruining his perfectly good mood.

“Why do you care? Shinpachi is fine. He didn’t get hurt. Neither did Kagura. Stop being such a woman and nagging me about everything.”

He expected her to smack him, yell at him, or scold him even more seriously but to his surprise, she just turned around away from him.

“I’m gonna go check on the kids,” was all she said before leaving him alone. 

Gintoki sighed again. _She’ll get over it_ , he thought to himself. 

* * *

Except she _didn’t_. Otae was purposely avoiding him for the remaining of the week and it was starting to annoy him more than he’d care to admit. 

He had asked Shinpachi to talk to her for him, but the boy had scolded him instead, “You shouldn’t expect others to fix your wrong doings, Gin-san.”

Gintoki didn’t think there had been a mistake to fix in the first place. Sure, he could’ve kept his mouth shut and let Tae scold him like she always did. But he had had such a good day, actually finishing a job and getting paid, that he didn’t feel like being scolded for once.

He knew he did owe her an apology of sorts, but he wasn’t the one who had snapped at her. He told her what he meant to. The kids were okay and so was Gintoki. She was worrying about nothing. 

* * *

 

It took the remainder of the week and half of the next for him to actually talk to her. 

To be fair, it wasn’t like he went to do it on his own accord. He had bumped into her while running away from Sacchan and he assumed she too was avoiding the Gorilla stalker she had. 

She tensed up when she saw him but didn’t turn around and left when he offered to walk her home. The walk to the dojo was silent, and for some reason Gintoki couldn’t take it any longer.

“Look,” he heard himself say, stopping both of them on their tracks. “What I said the other day—“

“It’s fine,” she cut him off, “you were right. I do nag you too much.” 

Gintoki raised a brow in confusion. _Was she?_

“But I do it because I care. It might have been a small incident for you, but it scared the kids.”

“I told them I was fine.”

“You’re right, you did,” she said, “But you keep putting yourself in harm’s way. And I know it isn’t fair to blame you, because that’s the kind of person you are. Putting your own life at risk to protect others. That’s _you_ , Gin-san. But—“

She stopped herself and Gintoki found that he had been holding his breath the entire time. 

“But?” He encouraged her to continue.

“But please take better care of yourself. If not for you, do it for the kids. They can’t lose you.” 

He suddenly remembered they’ve had this conversation before in the past. Back then, she had been the one to nurse him and didn’t stop him when he decided he was going to leave. Back then he wanted to tease her about it, to tell her to stop using the kids as an excuse to avoid admitting she was scared for him too. But he hadn’t and he wouldn’t now.

He didn’t respond but locked eyes with her instead. He hoped she’d understand that he couldn’t make any promises, even if he wished he did. There were many more dangers he’d have to face in the future. Many more instances in which he’d put his life at risk. Many more days where he’d get hurt and she'd nurse him again.

“Ah, sorry. I’m nagging you again,” she said, nervously. He noticed a light blush on her cheeks but inwardly cursed the dark sky for masking it so well. 

_Uncute woman._

“Otae,” he begun, though he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say.

_Thank you._

_Sorry._

“I forgive you already so please don’t cook anything for me as an apology.”

Yeah, _that_ did it. 

He didn’t mind how red his own cheek was after she slapped him. Nor did he mind the heavy curses she sent his way before she walked inside the dojo.

No, he did not mind.

Gintoki knows how easy it would be for him, _for them_ , to fall into a pattern. He was sure people around them knew that too. 

But for now he’d take her nagging and scolding and harmless beatings if it meant she’d stay by his side. For things to remain unchanged and less complicated than they had to be.

Yes, it would be easy to love her. Maybe, in his own way, he already does. But he knows what it’s like to love and to lose and he would rather not lose her. 

Not her, not the kids. Not his family. 

That, he _did_ mind. 

**Author's Note:**

> of course everyone can tell. they're practically a married couple at this point.


End file.
